https://media.blubrry.com/cavetothecross/cavetothecross.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Cave-To-The-Cross-Apologetics-Ep.246-2-Apologetics-Interview.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSPatrick and Tony were invited onto Jeremiah Campana’s podcast Anatomy Of The Church And State. We discussed many different aspects of […]
We have the great pleasure of welcoming Greg Koukl onto the show. We recently finished up walking through his book “Tactics” (https://tinyurl.com/yxjxf5s5) and he was gracious enough to come onto the show and talk about it with us.
We close out Greg Koukl’s book “Tactics” with a final charge to be a better ambassador for Christ. We cover some tips and some challenges that will help us go out and deliver the Good News.
Before we get to the conclusion of Tactics by Greg Koukl, we want to cover five mini tactics at the end. We talk about applying Jesus’ own words to a conversation, how to handle name-calling, embracing true but irrelevant objections, using better descriptor words than religious words, and the power of just saying, “So?”.
If (or since) the Christian message is true, there are certain outcomes that stem from that starting point. One of those is that all people have in them the Imago Dei or “Image of God” and are imbued with certain universals. It is one of the reasons presuppositionalists want to speak to that realization when talking with unbelievers. With this inside quality making its way outside in people’s thinking and action, we can use this tactic to speak to that.
Believe it or not, sometimes Christians know what they’re talking about. We cover the tactic to use and not to be a jerk about it. We also cover a few examples like responding to Christopher Hitchen’s “God Is Not Great”, Dan Brown’s “The DaVinci Code”, abortion is murder, & Bible translation.
A little longer episode today but one that is important. There are times when you, Average-Christian-Person have to respond to people who have “Dr.” before their names, a bunch of letters after, and are called “scholars” and “experts”. The question is, how do we respond to claims made by so-called scholars or true scholars that may speak out against Christian claims (or any claim really)? Well, here are a few ways we can.
Because we live in a lot of interactions online, we seem to be going away from the interaction types where you speak and I listen THEN I speak and you listen. In the day of response videos, reaction to only headlines, and wanting that “mic drop moment”, we sometimes encounter people who want to steamroll the conversation. Here are some tactics on how to gracefully handle those moments.
In this section, we look at evaluating the lens through which people see the world – through their worldview. Greg Koukl suggests that we, for the sake of argument, adopt their worldview and see where it might take us. Evaluating worldviews is a staple of the presuppositions model and a strong tool in a dialogue between opposing worldviews.
For the third part of the tactic on identifying arguments that self-destruct, we look at two different ones. We look at arguments that when held up next to each other aren’t allowed to exist at the same time and be consistent. The other is arguments who have an underlying assumption that knocks out the claim. We cover a few examples in there as well.
We looked at when arguments fail because they contradict themselves. Now we look at when arguments don’t formally contradict themselves but they still fail due to practical reasons. We have to remember, that the tactics here are to help engage in a dialogue and not used to make the other side feel like a failure. Our goal is to give the Good News, not to “win”.
The next tactic to use when talking to someone about your faith is one that we’ve seen in our previous book by Nancy Pearcey “Finding Truth”. That is looking at what someone is saying and seeing if their own statement contradicts itself. Sometimes this is called the internal critique and if it contradicts itself it can be easily dismissed.
So now that we have all parts of the Columbo down, can it ever be used against us? Well, that’s what we want! The tactics are there to have a good, helpful conversation! However, there are times when the third part – ask leading questions – are neither leading anywhere or actually legitimate questions. How do we combat that? Would you be surprised to learn – the Columbo tactic?!
https://media.blubrry.com/cavetothecross/cavetothecross.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Cave-To-The-Cross-Apologetics-Ep.-84-Tactics-Columbo-Steps-3-Using-Questions-To-Make-A-Point-Perfecting-Columbo.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | JioSaavn | Podchaser | Gaana | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS Completing the Columbo Tactic we see why it is such an important and versatile tactic. Now it’s time to use […]
Before getting to the third part of the Columbo tactic, Greg Koukl stops to inform us of two encounters we may have using the tactic. One encounter is with a surly professor who wants to decry Christianity but make you back up your side when you object. The other is the person who knows a lot more about the subject being discussed than you. Your hosts can relate to these encounters.
The Columbo Tactic, as Greg Koukl presents it, is such an important one that we need to really break it down and understand it. This episode covers the first of three points to the tactic. To have a productive and enriched conversation asking two simple questions (for now) will really help out both sides.
We introduced Greg Koukl’s first tactic – the Columbo tactic. Deemed the queen move of all of them, this way of respectfully setting the tone and direction of your conversations about faith with others.
Great! Now is the time to put on the boxing gloves and wail on some atheists by the power of God!
Ya, not so much. Greg Koukl gives us a second part of the introduction where he lays out what the Christian means when we say “argument”. We don’t want to have a shouting match with someone we want to have a fruitful conversation. We also want to have a proper understanding of God’s sovereignty and His role in salvation. Before we utilize our tactics, we need to have the crucified to Christ mindset.
We start our new book! Tactics by Greg Koukl. We cover the introduction including what we’ll learn from this book and the heart attitude the Christian should have when engaging people in conversation. We hope you enjoy this well-respected author and book. Follow along with us or just be a member of our book club.
